Prestige Classes
Definition of Terms Below are definitions of some of the common terms used in this chapter. * Base Class: '''A class that progresses from level 1–20. * '''Manifester Level: '''Generally equal to the number of class levels (see below) in a manifesting class. Some prestige classes add manifester levels to an existing class. * '''Character Level: '''The sum of a character’s class levels. * '''Class Level: '''The level of a character in a particular class. * '''Key Ability Modifier: '''The ability score modifier for the character’s key ability score. For psions, this is Intelligence, for psychic warriors it is Wisdom, and Charisma for wilders. '''Aegii, Soulknives, And Prestige Classes Sometimes, an aegis or soulknife may qualify for a prestige class with “+1 level of existing manifesting class” as a class feature. This increased psionic training helps those who follow the path of the astral suit or mind blade as well as the path of the manifester. At each level where a manifester level would increase by one, treat the aegis or soulknife as if he had gained a class level for the purposes of damage reduction and customization points in the case of the aegis, or enhanced mind blade in the case of the soulknife. The character does not gain any other benefits from an increased level (bonus customizations, uses of reconfigure, blade skills, etc.). It’s less common, but sometimes a multiclass soulknife or aegis enters one of these prestige classes with a bit of manifesting talent. In high psionics games, for this special case, each indicated level of the prestige class advances both the aegis’s damage reduction and customization points or the soulknife’s enhanced mind blade, as above, and his existing manifester level by one level. In games that are not high psionics, choose one or the other to increase, but not both. High Psionics and Prestige Classes Some soulknife class features and blade skills depend wholly on their class level influencing their competitive edge, and with prestige classes you may significantly weaken otherwise necessary abilities to your success with the class. To that end, classes that advance a soulknife’s mind blade also count as soulknife levels to determine the effectiveness of blade skills and other soulknife class level specific effects. This options assumes that all of your soulknives are gifted blade soulknives who have retained their psychic strike class feature. Using this option, gifted blades that enter into prestige classes that advance manifesting for their gifted blade powers also advance their mind blade enhancement bonus as well, as the two abilities are intimately tied together with this option. The inverse is true on classes that specifically advance mind blade enhancement bonuses, the character’s gifted blade manifesting is advanced (and only gifted blade manifesting - if the character possesses other manifesting classes, these are not advanced by this optional rule). If the class specifically advances manifesting and specifically advances the mind blade, then the gifted blade’s manifesting and mind blade are advanced independently so as to not receive double the normal advancement rate (or if they possessed manifesting from another class, they could choose to advance that manifesting class’s powers instead; example being a soulknife/psychic warrior who advances their mind blade and psychic warrior manifesting, but does not advance their gifted blade manifesting). Kineticists and Prestige Classes A kineticist with the psionic subtype meets prestige class requirements as if she had levels in a manifesting class, treating her kineticist level as her manifester level and the levels of her wild talents as levels of psionic powers. For example, a 6th-level kineticist with the extreme range ''infusion wild talent would count as having manifester level 6th and being able to manifest 3rd-level powers. In addition, prestige classes that advance manifesting can advance kineticist class features. At each level where a class would progress a character’s manifester level by one, treat the kineticist as if she had gained a class level for the purposes of her burn, kinetic blast, infusion, infusion specialization, and wild talents class features. She does not gain any other benefits she may have gained from an increased level (such as elemental overflow, metakinesis, or internal buffer). If the kineticist possesses an archetype that altered the burn class feature, she also advances her effective level for the class feature that replaced it. The kineticist automatically learns the ''crystalline needle blast ''composite blast when she reaches effective level 7th with her kineticist class features, regardless of whether or not she possesses the expanded element ability. '''Gambler Kineticists' For gambler kineticists, when a prestige class level grants a character additional power points per day as if she had gained a level in the class, treat her gambler level as one higher when determining the effects of her cash out, kinetic blast, and playing with fire class features. Martial Initiators and Prestige Classes Some of these prestige classes learn specialized maneuvers and stances from their class features (such as the phoenix champion’s phoenix wing strike). Though these are considered maneuvers for the purposes of feats, effects, and abilities, they are exclusive to the prestige classes in question, and cannot be learned through the Advanced Study feat or similar effects. In addition, a character who unlocks these maneuvers can always ready and initiate them, even if their initiator level would not be high enough to use a maneuver of that level or if they do not have access to the disciplines in question. A member of these prestige classes does not lose access to these maneuvers if they trade away a discipline when they join a martial tradition, and cannot trade them for new maneuvers when doing so. Prestige Classes and Granted Maneuvers When characters with granted maneuvers (such as mystics and warpath followers) gain additional readied maneuvers from a prestige class, they also gain additional granted maneuvers at the same rate. If the character has multiple prestige classes that give readied maneuvers, they add the maneuvers readied from each to determine the number of maneuvers granted. For example, if a character normally readies 7 maneuvers and has 4 of them granted to them at the start of their cycle of maneuvers, a prestige class that adds an additional readied maneuver would also add a granted maneuver, bringing them to 8 maneuvers readied and 5 maneuvers granted. Psicrystals and Prestige Classes Previous editions of psionics had confusing rules when it came to progressing psicrystal abilities, especially when it came to prestige classes. As specified in the Psicrystal Affinity feat, all '''levels in psionic classes progress psicrystal abilities, including all of the prestige classes presented in this chapter. '''Voyagers and Prestige Classes Prestige classes that advance manifesting can advance voyager momentum. At each level where a class would progress a voyager's manifester level by one, treat her as if she had gained a class level for the purposes of the maximum damage dice and momentum points of her momentum class feature. She does not gain any other benefits she may have gained from an increased level (such as speed increases or parallel actions). War Souls and Prestige Classes This is an optional rule that you may use for your campaign if martial initiators are prevalent or if you have a player that is interested in continuing martial maneuvers from Path of War. If you have war soul soulknives that are looking at prestige classes from this book that either do not want to advance manifesting from either the gifted blade archetype (if these powers are granted freely from the high psionics options outlined earlier in this book) or from other classes, you may instead gain maneuvers (known, readied, and stances) as if you had gained a level in war soul soulknife at any level that would otherwise advance your manifester level as a gifted blade. Wilders and Prestige Classes Many of the prestige classes presented in this chapter improve a character’s manifester level, but do not grant any benefit to a wilder’s wild surge, leaving the wilder with little incentive to take a prestige class. For wilders, when a prestige class level grants the character additional power points per day as if they had gained a level in their manifesting class, treat the wilder’s level as one higher when determining the effects of wild surge. Prestige Classes Adaptive Warrior: 'A warrior who uses the techniques of his enemies against them. [[Amplifier|'Amplifier]]:' Blend akasha with spells or psionics. 'Animus Adept: 'The animus adept takes the new animus system with its use of martial glyphs to a new level of party support. 'Ashen Blade: 'These soulknives focus on stealth and cunning, supplementing their mind blades with powers. 'Awakened Blade: 'Awakened blades, as they are called, learn to use their precognitive mastery as both offense and defense in pursuit of greater psionic knowledge and personal glory or power. 'Battle Templar: 'Battle templars serve the role of both divine agent and warrior in times when the state of their religion or church is in danger. [[Black Templar|'Black Templar]]:' Practitioners of dark akashic arts. 'Bladecaster: 'By fortifying the body with arcane might, the bladecaster can force his magic to augment his physical abilities and increase his martial capabilities to supernatural levels. 'Bloodsong Heritor: Bloodsong heritors combine ancient magic with their race’s culture. Body Snatcher: 'A master of the telepathic art of swapping minds with other beings. * 'Gravebound: Instead of stealing the bodies of the living, you bend the forms of the dead to your will. Cerebremancer: 'A practitioner of both arcane magic and psionic power, wielding both efficiently. [[Chessmaster|'Chessmaster]]:' Life is a game, and chessmasters play to win. 'Cross-Discipline Master: 'These wilders mix psionics from multiple disciplines for great effect. 'Daring Hero: Whether a famed hero or a cunning villain, daring heroes universally strive to snatch the shroud of myth for themselves—to carve themselves into legend, or die trying. Dark Tempest: 'A wielder of psionic power who has also learned the art of the mind blade. 'Dragon Fury: 'By devoting one’s self to the Thrashing Dragon discipline, the dragon fury learns many things on how best to emulate the dragon and its fighting style, and a dragon’s deep well of wrath lives within their hearts and pumps its fury to every inch of their body. 'Elocater: 'A master of altering gravity and space, performing seemingly impossible maneuvers. 'Forgelord: The forgelords use their considerable expertise in the creation of magical equipment to find the resonance of power within them, attuning themselves to it. Formless Master: 'Formless masters forsake their original appearance in exchange for nearly unparalleled skill at modifying their form. 'Gravity Slime Master: Gravity slime masters work with the charming creatures to hinder their foes, the forces of gravity itself laying them low. Greater Vampire: 'Those that choose to embrace death become something more than the vampires they were. These beings are known, out of both respect and fear, as greater vampires. 'Greater Werewolf: Some werewolves view their condition as a curse, something to be shunned or feared for. Some view it as a simple fact of life, a change from what they were before. But some embrace the beast now within them. Kith Hunter: Kith hunters rebel against their heritage. Kithlord: Kithlords lead their race into battle as paragons. Landsknecht: 'The landsknecht brings a powerful boost to einhander combat styles and defensive abilities. 'Lethe Adept: Lethe adepts are amongst the most feared of psionicists. Enamored with the power of the mind, these dark telepaths attack the innermost thoughts of others and drink deep of their personalities, enslaving the will-less husks of their victims. Mage Hunter: 'The path of the mage hunter is a dangerous one, combining skill at arms and stealth with a brand of sorcery that serves a singular purpose: slaying mages. 'Marvel: 'Possessing a telekinetic power to enhance their bodies, marvels are giants on the battlefield— regardless of their size. 'Metaforge: 'A combination of soulknife and aegis, with the ability to blend the abilities of both. 'Metamind: 'A manifester who sacrifices his expertise with higher level abilities to expand his reservoir of power. 'Metamorph: 'A shapechanger who gains supernatural options and enhanced abilities while shapechanging. 'Mongrel: Mongrels embrace even the tiniest scrap of kinship in their blood Mystic Archer: 'A ranged combatant who has learned that sight can be deceptive and to trust his other senses. 'Phoenix Champion: 'The phoenix champion brings the fires of purity by way of Solar Wind and Silver Crane to ranged combat. 'Phrenic Slayer: 'A hunter of a type of psionic creature who gains abilities to aid in the chase. 'Primarch: 'The contemplative primarchs merge elemental power with their mind blades, channeling the might of the world through their sword. 'Psicrystal Imprinter: 'A manifester who imbues psionic power into his psicrystal. 'Psion Uncarnate: 'A manifester who has left the need for a physical body behind. * 'Phantom: You do not become a creature of pure will and psionic might, but instead transform yourself into a living ghost. Psychic Fist: 'A monk who uses his innate psionic ability to augment his martial prowess. 'Pyrokineticist: 'A wielder of flame, sending bolts of fire at enemies and using their body heat to heal. 'Sighted Seeker: 'A detective and sleuth that uses insight and clairsentience to track his prey. 'Soul Archer: 'A soulknife who has chosen to make ranged combat his focus. 'Storm Warrior: The storm warrior is the destructive power of the storm given living shape, using their might and powers to control the battlefield and dominate their foes. Strategos: 'Masters of logistics, strategos arm their allies through psionic power. 'Surge Adept: 'These wilders delve into their emotional side, empowering their psionics with inner will and surging energies. 'Sussurratore: Sussuratori are the grim secret-keepers of vampiric society. Telekinetic Weaponmaster: 'A warrior who wields his weapons using the power of his mind. 'Thrallherd: 'A manifester who puts out a psionic call for thralls and believers. 'Umbral Blade: 'Every moon has a dark side, and in that darkness there is something waiting for those who are daring enough to tread upon that perilous path. By entering the shadow of the Veiled Moon, the so-called Umbral Blades find that this darkness possesses power at a price, and by making a deal with it, that power can be bought. 'Varsärk: 'Most varsärks are Barbarians, although those whose blood sings with both ancient magic and unfettered rage are also accepted by the wolf spirits as champions. 'Veilshifter: The veilshifter is a versatile veilweaver that uses their mastery and knowledge of a variety of veils to solve any problem. 'Volcanic Mind: '''Like their namesake, volcanic minds are explosive and dangerous, channeling their wild surge into dangerous eruptions of power. 'War Mind: '''A devastating warrior who learns many secret combat techniques.